Annie Leibovitz is best known for her portrait photography, which is partly why her Pilgrimage (Random House; $50) is so striking: it documents only places and things. Originally planned with her partner, Susan Sontag, before her death, to share places important to them, Pilgrimage is Leibovitz’s own list of what profoundly affected her and reinvigorated her creativity in her time of grief. Included in her list: Ansel Adams’s darkroom, Niagara Falls and Emily Dickinson’s sole surviving dress.
For a people fix, try Talking Pictures by Ellen Graham (Pointed Leaf Press; $65), which documents over 200 of the photographer’s black-and-white pictures, including work for Time and People. Graham’s personal narrative transports us behind the scenes and back in time.
The two-volume slipcover catalog raisonné Yoshitomo Nara: The Complete Works (Chronicle; $250) features more than 4,500 of the Japanese artist’s paintings, sketches, drawings, photos and essays.
Phaidon’s Vitamin P2: New Perspectives in Painting (Phaidon; $69.95) picks up where Vitamin P left off in 2002, compiling works from 115 contemporary artists in more than thirty countries.
Chronicling one of the most prolific designers of the twentieth century, Alexander Girard by Todd Oldham and Kiera Coffee (Ammo; $200), is a 672-page behemoth of colorful graphics, furniture and product designs, typography and interiors from the legendary designers.
For those without the garage space, The Impossible Collection of Cars by Dan Neil (Assouline; $650) belongs on the table. One hundred cars, including a 1909 Blitzen Benz and this 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Spyder, were chosen for their revolutionary design, body lines and, of course, their ability to elicit stares.
The New Bespoke by Frank Roop (Pointed Leaf Press; $65) shows the Boston-based interior designer’s projects. At the legendary menswear retailer Louis, Boston, Roop developed an appreciation for fine fabrics and the skills to build a collection—all of which are evident here. See craftsmen at work, as well as couture-inspired rooms.
Henry Wilson, with his lens habitually hooked on India, focuses on rich architectural details in Pattern and Ornament in the Arts of India (Thames & Hudson, $60). Spanning nearly two thousand years, this volume highlights architectural decoration in the palaces, mansions, tombs and temples of northwest India, with examples in stone, wood, mirror and plaster. An excellent source of inspiration for any artist or pattern maker.
One hundred iconic dresses, chosen by Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, makes The Impossible Collection of Fashion (Assouline; $650) ideal for fashion stalwarts and imperative for interested beginners.
Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent (Rizzoli; $100) edited by Olivier Zahm and Alex Wiederin captures what Cathy Horyn describes as the French fashion visionary’s “visual intelligence.” Hand-written correspondence from some of fashion’s biggest names run alongside Roitfeld’s editorials, depicting a subversive femininity she helped pioneer during her ten years as editor-in-chief of French Vogue.
Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures (Rizzoli; $60) captures thirty years of the “It Girl” (as she was dubbed by Yves Saint-Lauren). The noble-born super-model and actress was photographed by the likes of Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton and Irving Penn.
Tour England’s top secret Ministry of Letters in Operation Alphabet (Thames & Hudson, $19.95) by Al MacCuish with illustrations by Luciano Lozano, where all the words in the world are born. Evoking mid-century artwork, the illustrations will enchant readers young and old.
Virtual shopping reaches a new level in a tour of The Grand Bazaar Istanbul (Assouline; $250). Textiles, spices, jewelry and furnishings come alive through Laziz Hamani’s photography and the insider’s analysis by Serdar Gülgün, an Istanbul-born Ottoman art expert and collector.
Whether or not you’ve visited the country, Brazilian Style by Armand Limnander (Assouline; $65) will captivate with its mix of contemporary and traditional cultural highlights, both in words and images. 2016 Olympic Games, anyone?
Golf Courses: Great Britain and Ireland (Rizzoli; $195), a limited-edition photography book by David Cannon, captures historic green links and tricky sea-bordered courses. A sure hit for any golfer, but also enticing for a non-golfing “caddy” seeking breathtaking natural beauty and exceptional design.
Any traveler interested in contemporary architecture should pack The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture (Phaidon; $24.95), which documents over 1,000 projects in 89 countries built in the last eleven years, all in a portable pocket size.
With one volume For Him and one For Her, the slipcase set Daniel Boulud Cocktails & Amuse-Bouches (Assouline; $50) presents a modern take on classic cocktails, poured by mixologist Xavier Herit. Don’t let yesterday’s gendered palette fool you—this Pumpkin Smash is sure to appeal to both sexes.
On the heels of its fortieth anniversary, Chez Panisse remains an epicurean Mecca. Less known are the original menus, hand-printed by Patricia Curtan when she worked as a cook at the restaurant. These are now gathered in Menus for Chez Panisse: The Art and Letterpress of Patricia Curtan (Princeton Architectural Press, $40), along with notes about the designs, special occasions and Alice Waters. Her artistry evokes the spirit of the restaurant even for those who have never experienced it first hand.
Mourning the losses of his mother and a close friend, Stephen Taylor discovered a 250-year-old tree while walking in Essex, England. He found solace in painting it, again and again. Oak: One Tree. Three Years, Fifty Paintings (Princeton Architectural Press, $29.95) is Taylor’s transfixing ode to the longevity and endurance of nature and its ability to transform us.
First published in the early nineteenth century, The Birds of America by John James Audubon captivated nature enthusiasts with its life-sized illustrations. Only 200 completed sets were made, and only 119 survive today, one of which sold at auction in December 2010 for a world record of $11.5 million. Four hundred thirty-five hand-colored prints from the original were photographed for the 2011 version, available through the Natural History Museum, London (Frances Lincoln; £75).
Great Gardens of Spain by Anneli Bojstad, with photography by Eduardo Mencos (Frances Lincoln; $50), explores forty of the country’s beautiful and diverse gardens—all of which welcome visitors.
